The most common garnet, forming deep red to reddish-brown crystals. Widely used as an abrasive and semi-precious gemstone. Color: Deep red to reddish-brown. Luster: Vitreous to resinous. Streak: White. Cleavage: None subconchoidal fracture. Hardness: 7-7.5. Transparency: Transparent to translucent. Crystal system: Isometric Cubic. Chemical formula: Fe₃Al₂ SiO₄ ₃. Specific gravity: 4.1-4.3. Formation: Forms during medium to high grade metamorphism of pelitic rocks; also in some granites. Common geological settings: Worldwide; common in mica schists, gneisses, and amphibolites. India, Sri Lanka, Brazil. Common look-alikes and related entries: Pyrope, Spessartine, Spinel.
Red minerals — Place this specimen in a broader field-identification workflow.
Sources, scope & corrections
These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.
Editorial owner
GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T14:36:47.719392+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
IMA–CNMNC List of Mineral Names — International Mineralogical Association. Official mineral-name, nomenclature, and classification records.
Mineral ID Key — Mineralogical Society of America. Physical-property identification methods, repeat-testing guidance, and limitations.
The most common garnet, forming deep red to reddish-brown crystals. Widely used as an abrasive and semi-precious gemstone.
How can you identify Almandine?
Compare several properties rather than relying on colour alone. This entry records colour: Deep red to reddish-brown; lustre: Vitreous to resinous; streak: White; Mohs hardness: 7-7.5; cleavage: None subconchoidal fracture; crystal system: Isometric Cubic; transparency: Transparent to translucent. Confirm an important identification with additional field tests or qualified laboratory work.
How does Almandine form?
Forms during medium to high grade metamorphism of pelitic rocks; also in some granites.
Where is Almandine commonly found?
Worldwide; common in mica schists, gneisses, and amphibolites. India, Sri Lanka, Brazil.
What is Almandine commonly confused with?
Almandine may be confused with Pyrope, Spessartine, Spinel. Compare multiple diagnostic properties because colour and surface appearance can overlap.
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